Putin painting fetches $1.37M
Last Updated: Saturday, January 17, 2009 | 3:40 PM ET Comments2Recommend1
CBC News
Natalia Kurnikova, owner of a Moscow art gallery, looks at an oil painting by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. She paid $1.37 million Cdn for the painting at a charity auction in St. Petersburg. (Dmitry Lovetsky/Associated Press)Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has become his country's latest art star, with one of his paintings fetching the equivalent of $1.37 million Cdn.
The politician's rendering of a frost-rimmed window in a traditional log cabin was sold at a charity auction Saturday in his hometown of St. Petersburg.
Several works by other well-known Russians were also on the block to benefit three charities: a hospital, a church and a cancer clinic. None of the others came close to Putin's price.
Moscow gallery owner Natalya Kurnikova said she snapped the painting up because she figured it could be the first and last painting of its kind.
"The painting shows another aspect of a great personality," Kurnikova told Bloomberg News. She plans to display it at her gallery.
The 30 pictures in the auction, each focusing on a letter of the alphabet, are loosely based on Christmas Eve, a story by 19th-century author Nikolai Gogol, and are painted on woolen cloth.
Putin's piece features the Russian letter "u," for "uzor" (pattern), in the top right-hand corner. Words in the painting read Putin, on top, and Ornament, on the bottom.
With files from the Associated Press
Story comments (2)
at 3:47 PM ETToo bad Putin, your cult of personality is no longer the biggest on the block with Obama around. Cept Obama actually seems like a decent person and not some wanna be czar.
at 3:40 PM ETI could have told them Vlad, This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.
Post your comment
Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are pre-moderated/reviewed and published according to our submission guidelines.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Log in | Sign up